Two Gage County Accidents Thursday, Injure Two Persons

Authorities were sent to a two-vehicle collision at 6:45 a.m., on East Nebraska Highway 41 near South 25th Road, about two miles from Cortland.

A westbound pickup driven by 36-year-old Roy Goracke, of Sterling was struck by an eastbound pickup driven by 41-year-old Abel Navarro, of Oxford. Sheriff’s investigators say Navarro’s truck hit a snowpacked, icy patch on the highway, which caused it to slide and hit the other pickup head on.

Navarro was taken to Bryan LGH West Hospital in Lincoln for injuries. Goracke was unhurt. Law officers say records showed that Navarro’s Nebraska driver’s license had been revoked, and charges are pending. The Nebraska State Patrol and Cortland Fire and Rescue assisted at the accident scene.

In a second accident Thursday at 6:37 p.m., Gage County Sheriff’s officers responded to a rollover along U.S. Highway 77, about two miles south of Beatrice.

A northbound car driven by Johnnie Payne, Jr., of Blue Springs, went out of control on an icy road surface. The auto went off the east side of the highway and rolled over, landing on its wheels.

Payne was taken by private vehicle to the local hospital, for treatment of injuries.